The Great HDMI cable Rip off

Thinking about spending a bit extra on a top of the range HDMI cable so that you can get the best possible picture/audio quality for your HDTV? Well, think again!

The guys over at Mint.com put together this great infographic showing the massive rip off with HDMI cables. The truth, as the infographic points out, is that there is absolutely no difference between the cheapest and most expensive HDMI cables, at least over shorter runs. If you’re wiring an entire house, you may find these cables to be worth it.

To understand why you shouldn’t pay extra, you need to understand the difference between analog and digital. With analog cables, the signal degrades, with digital cables such as HDMI, it either works or it doesn’t. The signal doesn’t degrade any more than your JPEGs degrade when you put them on a thumb drive.

So true! And not just for HDMI cables! Almost any cable these days (unless you’re into pro audio) is the same. Branded or not branded. I buy almost all of my cables and accessories from either gadgetsfactory.com or monoprice.com. It’s probably saved me $1000 in cable costs over the years.